A Fresh Start
by Lily Hanson
Summary: It's been a long time coming for the Goodalls, but it's finally come to the point where the family just isn't working out. Weeds need to be pulled. Unfortunately, they put up a fight.
1. Chapter 1

_Disclaimer: I do not own Power Rangers Megaforce. This story is fan-made._

_Author's Note: This is not where the Megaforce series starts. If you want to read the series without getting lost, I suggest you read my stories in the order they appear:_

_**No To Date Nights - The Party Night - Project Partners - Megaforce: Lives Behind The Masks - **__**Prom Night**__ - __**A Trip To Remember - First Meetings - Something She Loves – Protective Morans – Samurai In Harwood County – Rainy Days – Luck Had Nothing To Do With It – Ranger Support – Parents and Children – Hero Without The Spandex – Emma's Night – Emma's Mother – Bait And Switch – After Death – A Stormy Day – A Date For Tensou – A Mother's Advice – Mending Fences – Executioner Named Revenge –Those Three Words – On The Fourth Day – Babysitting – Tiger **_

It didn't feel right what she was doing. Then again, bringing her daughter to prison wasn't right. This wasn't how parenting worked. Mrs. Goodall had papers for her husband to sign, which start their divorce. Their marriage had been on the rocks for years already, but with neither wanting to admit to their mistakes, they stayed married while they started seeing and sleeping with other people. Mrs. Goodall wanted to be a better parent to Emma, and knew she had to start pulling out the weeds. Unfortunately, Mr. Goodall was a weed.

When Mrs. Goodall talked to Emma about all this, Emma insisted she come with her to the prison to visit her father. Regardless of what he had done and the inevitable divorce, he was still her father. Emma wanted one real goodbye before turning away from him. She was just sad that would only happen in prison. Her father had a lengthy sentence for his attempt at murder.

After they cleared security, the two Goodalls were taking to a room. Emma's stomach turned at the sight and she couldn't believe her father would be spending a good portion of his life in this bare, dirty, cold place.

"Can I talk to him first?" Emma asked her mother after a guard told them Mr. Goodall would be in soon. Mrs. Goodall nodded her head.

"I'd like to be in the room, though," she said. "I'm not leaving you alone with him."

Emma agreed just as the door opened and Mr. Goodall stepped inside. His eyes lit up when he saw his wife and daughter and after he sat down he reached out to Emma, who was seated across from him. She pulled her hand away. Mr. Goodall looked hurt.

"Emma…"

"Do you remember why you're here?" she asked him. Mr. Goodall lowered his head and sighed.

"I've had a long time to think, Emma…"

"Yeah, that's why they put you in prison," Emma rolled her eyes. "You wanted to kill Gia!"

"I wanted you back," Mr. Goodall shook his head. "I wasn't thinking clearly."

"You had a gun," Emma said. "You came to the Brainfreeze, where it was a sure bet she would be. You took your gun out and pointed it at Gia."

"And I regret it every day I'm here."

"Why?" Emma asked. "Because you know it was wrong or because you're here?"

"Because it was wrong. Emma, of course it was wrong! I wasn't thinking clearly. I wanted you to come home…"

"New York isn't home!"

"Wherever family is, that's home."

"So the Morans would be coming with us to New York?" Emma asked. Mr. Goodall looked to his daughter curiously before he shook his head.

"Not that I…"

"What was so good about work, dad?" Emma asked. "What about the stuffy offices, the angry bosses, and the busted photocopiers was so amazing you had to work late every night? What was it about cheap airline food that made you want to want to travel all the time? What was so wrong with me that you never wanted to come home?"

"Nothing was wrong with you, sweet…"

"Don't," Emma shook her head. "Was I not enough for you? Did you maybe want a boy? Was I a mistake?"

"You weren't a mistake. Emma, sweetheart, I love you with all my heart," Mr. Goodall tried to reach out for his daughter again but she pulled away. When he stood up, he saw the guard shaking his head and he knew he had to sit down again. He looked over at Emma. "Getting the phone call that you were going to be taken away from me really messed me up. I couldn't imagine life without you."

"Admit it, dad. You screwed up."

"Yes. I never should have gotten the gun…"

"You screwed up as a father!" Emma shouted. "Forget the gun, dad! Forget for a minute that you tried to kill my best friend. Your best friend's daughter! As a dad, you're a deadbeat!"

"I worked hard to provide for you, Emma. I bought you food…"

"You left money on the counter for me to buy my own food."

"I put a roof over your head."

"It might as well have been a cardboard box."

"I bought you clothes. I sent you to school."

"You never once helped me with my homework," Emma shook her head. "When I was six, in the first grade, I told my teacher I didn't deserve to be praised for doing my homework. All she ever assigned was for us to read for twenty minutes with our parents. You and mom never read with me! It was always the Morans. I thought I wasn't doing homework because I never read to you."

"Emma, this is why I didn't want anyone taking you away from me. Much less the Morans. They were going to turn me into the bad guy. I read with you, of course I read with you. You were my daughter."

"No. You came home from work late one night. When you came to pick me up from their house I asked you if I could read my new favourite book to you when we got home. You said yes."

"See."

"You drove me home, and then fell asleep at the wheel in the driveway. When I woke you up to remind you of the book, you pushed me away. You slept all night in the car. Mom was on vacation. I couldn't get inside the house. I slept in the garden!"

"You're imagining…"

"Ask Joe! When he came to pick me up from school the next morning, you were gone for work and he found me in the flower bed covered in dirt. When you picked me up after school, you said nothing about it!"

"Maybe you dreamt, this, Emma. I don't remember…"

"I know you don't! You didn't give a damn about stepping up and being a good father until a real father stepped up. Go ahead, ask Joe all about my night in the dirt."

"Fine, call him. We'll see what he says…"

"He's dead!" Emma screamed. Mr. Goodall froze. His face fell. He shook his head.

"Emma, settle down…"

"He's dead, Jeff," Mrs. Goodall spoke up. "Joe was very sick and his body couldn't…"

"No, he's…"

"Your best friend is dead," Emma put her hands on the table and leaned in closer to her father. "And the last thing you ever did for him was point a gun at his daughter. Your best friend, the man you grew up with from the time you were four. The man who took care of your daughter because you were overworked, or too tired, or on vacation, or on business and couldn't do it yourself. He's dead."

Mr. Goodall held his head in his hands, "Joe's really…"

"Dead. Yeah."

"Emma, please…"

"I was hoping for an apology," Emma shook her head. "I was hoping that when I came in here, you'd be in tears because you would know you screwed up. Instead, it was just excuses and…"

"Emma, I love you," Mr. Goodall looked up.

"I don't love you."

"Emma. Emma!" Mr. Goodall called but Emma didn't turn around. She asked the guards to let her out. Mr. Goodall rose to his feet and called for her until the door was closed and he was sure she couldn't hear him. Then he turned to his wife, who put some papers down on the table before him.

"We screwed up, Jeff. We've really messed her up."

"We did our best, Claire. That's all a daughter can ask from her parents. No one's perfect."

"Open your eyes, Jeff! She was crying out for you and all you did was make up excuses and deny the truth. What kind of parent does that?"

"She's just a child, Claire. We're her parents. We're the adults. We know what's best for her."

"Taking her away from the Morans, then? That was for the best."

"I was transferred. We had to…"

"Leaving her for weeks by herself? That was best?"

"Teenagers love…"

"Buying a gun was best?"

"To defend my family, yes."

"Pointing that gun at her best friend? Was that really the best thing for her? How is that defending your family?"

"That was a mistake. Parents aren't perfect."

"I'm sorry it's come to this, Jeff," Mrs. Goodall pointed to the papers, "I want a divorce."

"So you and Oliver can…"

"This has nothing to do with Oliver," Mrs. Goodall shook her head. "I haven't even seen him since I've been back in Harwood. He was a mistake."

"You've been sleeping with him longer than you and I…"

"This has nothing to do with Oliver," Mrs. Goodall repeated and growled. "This is for Emma. This is so we can be a family again. Sign the damn papers, Jeff."

"And what if I don't want to."

"Then I'll do it the hard way."

Mr. Goodall pushed the papers away and then looked to his guard, "I want to go back, now."


	2. A Good Lawyer

When Mrs. Goodall left the prison she wasn't happy. Her husband had always been a selfish man, but she had turned a blind eye to it until now. Not only had he refused to listen to his daughter when it had been obvious she had been crying out _for_ him, but he refused to sign the papers for their divorce from a marriage that had fallen apart years ago already when Mrs. Goodall had made it clear it was the best thing for the family. She was furious. She was outraged. But when she saw her daughter waiting for the bus and sobbing on the bench, she was heartbroken. Emma was being hit left and right, and now would be dragged through a war that was not her own. Although the Morans had acted as her parents for most of her life, Mrs. Goodall was still her mother. Mr. Goodall was her father. Now, she would have to watch as her parents fought in what was sure to become a very messy divorce.

A messy divorce that would involve trips to prison. It couldn't get any worse.

Mrs. Goodall sat beside her daughter and was surprised when Emma fell into her arms. She had been about to reassure her that they would be home soon, and Mrs. Moran was waiting for them. She assumed Emma would take comfort in the arms of the woman who had always cared for her. But Emma was in her arms now, seeking her comfort. Mrs. Goodall wouldn't pass up the moment, even though it left her heart in pieces.

"He doesn't care," Emma sobbed and hid her face in her mother's shoulder. "He… why doesn't he care?"

"He does care, Emma. He's just got a funny way of showing it. He loves you, Emma, he just doesn't know… how."

"Then I'd hate to see what he does when he doesn't care," Emma rolled her eyes and moved away from her mother. She hugged her knees to her chest. Mrs. Goodall brushed her hair behind her ears and played lightly with her daughter's hair.

"Have you said all you needed to say?" Mrs. Goodall asked. "Because after today, I don't think it's a good idea you come back here. I don't want you seeing him. Not if every visit is going to leave you like this."

The bus came and stopped, but Mrs. Goodall and Emma weren't ready to leave just yet. The driver saw Mrs. Goodall signal for him to leave and took off. Emma sighed.

"I don't want to see him. I don't care what you say, mom, he doesn't care. Why should I?"

"Are you sure?" Mrs. Goodall asked. "Is this really how you want it to end? I'll support you, Emma, no matter what you choose. I just… I don't want any regrets for you. I have them, and they're horrible. Your father…"

"He's not my father," Emma whispered. "Joe was more of a father. I've made peace with the thought of never having a dad again."

"Emma…"

"I'm just glad the Morans let me stay with them," Emma said. "I'm glad I got to feel what it was like to have a father, even if it was just for a little while. So if dad… if _he_ doesn't want to try and make things right, then I don't want to keep giving out chances."

"Are you sure?"

"I'm done," Emma nodded. She leaned back into her mother, "We don't ever have to see him again, do we?"

"You don't," Mrs. Goodall kissed the top of Emma's head. Emma frowned and looked up at her mother.

"You will? You want to see him again?"

"I don't want to," Mrs. Goodall shook her head and then showed Emma the papers, "But your father won't sign. He doesn't want the divorce."

"So?"

"This could mean a fight," Mrs. Goodall gently squeezed her daughter, "You don't need to get involved, Emma. I'll find a way."

"But…"

"I'll find a way," Mrs. Goodall promised and held Emma in her arms until the next bus came.

When they were home, Emma stormed up to her room, ignoring both Gia and Mrs. Moran as she passed them. Mrs. Goodall sighed and walked to the kitchen, where she was followed by the Morans.

"I guess it didn't go well," Mrs. Moran said.

"I understand I deserve this hell," Mrs. Goodall said, "But how can he put Emma through all this and feel… nothing."

"Nothing?" Gia asked. Mrs. Moran sent her up to her room. Gia rolled her eyes and walked out, but she didn't go up to her room. She turned the corner and hid behind the wall.

"Jeff wouldn't listen to Emma," Mrs. Moran sighed loudly. "It was heartbreaking, Vanessa. I've never seen her so broken, but he wouldn't have any of it. Nothing but bullshit fell out of his mouth. He came up with excuse after excuse for why he couldn't care for his own daughter."

"Sounds familiar?"

"I turned around. I'm here now. I've learned from my mistakes. Emma's my daughter, and I know what that means now. Jeff's been in jail, away from everything and everyone he loves, and he still can't see how important she is?"

"Joe doesn't think Jeff was ever really ready to be a father. He loved Emma, but he thought it would have probably been best if you and Jeff never had a baby. You know we've been thinking of getting custody of Emma for years."

"You should have done so sooner," Mrs. Goodall sighed as she agreed. "I hate this, Vanessa. I hate seeing her suffer because we didn't do our jobs. Thank goodness for you and Joe, or I don't know what would have happened to her."

"Let's not worry about that. Everything's working out. Soon, this whole mess is going to be fixed. Did he get the papers?"

"He won't sign," Mrs. Goodall shook her head. "He doesn't want the divorce. I don't know what I'm going to do, now. I can't stay attached to him. It wouldn't be good for me, and it certainly wouldn't be good for Emma."

"And you told him that?"

"Do you think he listened? He just went on and on about how he was sorry for trying to shoot Gia but how parents aren't perfect and he did nothing wrong."

"He pointed a gun at my daughter and he thinks he's done nothing wrong!"

"I don't know what to do, Vanessa. This divorce needs to go through and I don't want a fight. I want to focus my attention on Emma. I want to be a mother. There's one more year before college and I don't want to spend it battling with her father."

"We'll figure out something," Mrs. Moran promised, "I'll see if I can find a good lawyer…"

"Money's not an issue," Mrs. Goodall said. "I want someone who can get the job done peacefully."

As the women stepped out of the kitchen and walked to the living room to look at the computer, Gia hid so her mother wouldn't see her and then hurried into the kitchen to grab the papers. She couldn't sneak out the front door, but she knew a way out from her bedroom window.


	3. The Papers Are Signed

Mr. Goodall didn't know who else could possibly want to visit him, but went down to the visitation room to see who was there. He was shocked to see Gia.

"How did you…?"

"I have my ways," Gia shrugged her shoulders and then tossed down a package of papers for Mr. Goodall. "You just need to worry about signing this."

"The divorce papers?"

"It'll be a lot easier for everyone if you just sign," Gia nodded her head. "You have one chance to redeem yourself. If you don't take this, your life is going to get real messy, real fast, and you're not going to have anyone in your corner to help you pick up the pieces when you inevitably lose."

"Gia, I…"

"By the time you get out of here, Emma will have graduated college. You'll have no rights over her. You won't be a father and she'll want nothing to do with you," Gia said. "Mrs. Goodall will find a way to make this divorce happen, whether you like it or not, and she's going to find someone better than you. You're losing."

"All I have is my family, Gia," Mr. Goodall shook his head. "I've lost my job, I've lost my house. I've just been told my best friend is…"

"Don't bring my father into this," Gia growled. "Don't you dare bring up his name. After everything you've done to him, don't try to earn sympathy from _me_ because he's dead."

"Gia, I'm sorry, I'm just…"

"A selfish, immature, irresponsible deadbeat!"

"I worked my butt off for my family…"

"You took vacations every couple of weeks! You were never home! You worked your butt off so you could go on expensive trips…"

"Family vacations!"

"You left your daughter behind every time!" Gia screamed. "Do you know how many nights I had to stay with Emma so she wouldn't feel abandoned? Do you know what I've had to sacrifice so your daughter would have someone looking out for her? Someone to protect her? I'm a better parent than you are!"

"Gia…"

"Sign the papers, Goodall," Gia shoved the papers towards him and glared angrily. "Show your daughter you love her for once and give her what she needs."

"How will this help?"

"She'll be able to move on. Mrs. Goodall can move on from you."

"I'm not signing papers so my wife can screw around with another man!"

"Mrs. Goodall is trying to be a good mother! Unlike you, she knows she's done wrong and she's trying to fix it. She and Emma are trying to be a family again, but they can't do that while they're dragging your pathetic ass around. It seems an apology is too much to ask from someone like you, but I think even an idiot like you can put your name on a piece of paper."

"You're out of line," Mr. Goodall said as he stood up and threw the papers away. "I will not let some wannabe tough ass little punk tell me what to do with my family! I'm sorry I tried to shoot you, Gia, but that does not give you the right to tell me where I should put my name."

"Wannabe, huh?" Gia raised an eyebrow. Mr. Goodall continued to glare at her, trying to intimidate her so she would avert her gaze, but Gia never flinched. Mr. Goodall was the first to feel uncomfortable and he took a seat. He had never really been around Emma or Gia while they had grown up, but he knew Gia's father, and he knew Gia had inherited the best from him. He also knew Gia had always been a handful as a child, and when she had stood up for Emma in the past, she hadn't hesitated to beat up boys twice her size. Mr. Goodall had heard from Mr. Moran about all the phone calls he received from schoolmate's parents about how Gia had beaten up their sons.

Gia's only argument had been that the boys made Emma cry.

"You think this is all an act?" Gia asked him. "You think I took papers from my mother and Mrs. Goodall and snuck out of the house as an act? You think I took the bus by myself to jail for an act? Do you really think I would show prison guards and police officers a fake ID and fake documents for an act? You think, I'd walk in here, and stare into the eyes of the man who pointed a gun at me, because I'm trying to _act_ tough?"

"Fake ID and fake documents?" one of the prison guards asked but Gia silenced him with a growl. When Mr. Goodall saw the prison guard, a man twice his size, back down, he gulped and took a seat.

"Pick up the papers," Gia told him.

"I'll sign them, I'll…"

"I said, pick up the papers," Gia repeated. Mr. Goodall got out of his chair, dropped down to his knees and collected all the papers he had tossed aside carelessly. He set them down on the table while Gia presented him with a pen. As Mr. Goodall looked over the papers for all the places he needed to sign, confirming he had received them and accepting Mrs. Goodall's request for a divorce he heard Gia speaking. "Well, even though it's out of reluctance, at least now you're showing your wife and daughter than you are trying to change."

"I never wanted to hurt them."

"So then that makes you an idiot. A big idiot. Emma has a lot to offer, and you're going to miss out on all of it."

"I love my daughter."

"You had seventeen years to prove it."

"Why does Claire get a second chance? We both screwed up…"

"You're in jail," Gia saw Mr. Goodall had signed all the papers and so took them away from him. "Mrs. Goodall came back, admitted she was wrong, and is trying to make things right."

"Why does she get that chance?"

"She didn't point a gun at me!" Gia screamed. She took a deep breath, calmed herself down, and then shook her head, "I really hope that when you get out of here, you change, but I'm not holding my breath, and I'll be sure Emma doesn't either."

Gia slammed the door as she walked out. One guard grabbed Mr. Goodall to take him back to his cell while another went after Gia.

"Hey! Hey, young lady, get back here. We need to talk about the fake ID and documents you just admitted to."

Gia looked over her shoulder, saw the guard coming and started to run. She shoved the papers in her bag and then pulled out her morpher.

"Gosei, unless you want one of your Rangers to be in a lot of trouble, you're going to help me out big time."

Before the guard's eyes, Gia was teleported out of the prison. He stopped and scratched his head for a moment before he felt something hit him softly.

"Where was I going?"

-Megaforce-

Gia landed in the command center and was about to teleport herself back home when she heard Gosei's booming voice call her name. She rolled her eyes as she turned around to face him.

"Do you understand what Tensou and I have just had to do for you?"

"Thank you?"

"Erased the memories of all the prison staff you came in contact with," Tensou said, "and I'm currently deleting all the security footage that proves you were anywhere near the prison."

"Explain yourself, Gia," Gosei said.

"I let it slip that my ID and papers were fake," Gia said. "All that matters anyway was that Mr. Goodall sign these divorce papers. He did, so my job was a success…"

"You are a defender of the planet. You are a guardian of the innocent…"

"I take my Ranger duties seriously," Gia growled. "And as far as I'm concerned, that was exactly what I was doing. If you want to argue, come off that wall and talk to me in person."

"Gia…"

"I mean it, Gosei."

"One more abuse of your powers like this, and they will be stripped," Gosei warned her. "This is the last time Tensou and I will cover for you on a personal level. What you did…"

"I helped a friend. If that's a crime, then do something about it."

"Tensou, send her home," Gosei announced. Tensou reached up to Gia's console, pressed a button and she disappeared. He then turned to Gosei.

"You know, she's just like her mother."

"Shut up, Tensou."

"Passionate, strong, loyal, brave… Gosei?" Tensou turned around and saw Gosei's eyes were no longer lit up, meaning he had gone. He shrank a little, "Maybe I have been talking about her too much lately."

-Megaforce-

Gia reappeared in her bedroom and was thankful Tensou had enough common sense to send her somewhere private in her house. While Emma and her mother knew she was a Ranger and could teleport, Mrs. Goodall was walking around, and there would be no way to explain her sudden appearance if she had been caught.

Taking the papers from her bag, Gia hurried down the stairs.

"Claire, you can't afford this lawyer," Mrs. Moran warned her best friend. "I know you want the best, but you're going to have no money left over for Emma, or even for yourself. You need to be wise."

"A lawyer for what?" Gia asked as she walked into the living room.

"I told you to go upstairs."

"I came down for a snack," Gia said. "What do you need a lawyer for, Mrs. Goodall?"

"Jeff won't accept the divorce. I don't want a long, messy fight so I figure a lawyer will…"

"I thought by signing the papers he did accept the divorce."

"He didn't sign the papers."

"So, whose signature is in his space?" Gia held up the papers. Mrs. Goodall had a look at them and her jaw dropped. She flipped through each page, seeing her husband's name in every place he was supposed to sign.

"But… but I… he refused," Mrs. Goodall walked to the kitchen without taking her eyes off the papers, "I… I could have sworn he never even touched the pen…"

"What did you do?" Mrs. Moran groaned in annoyance once Mrs. Goodall was gone. Gia shrugged her shoulders.

"Who says I did anything?"

"I saw those papers," Mrs. Moran said. "There was no signature. Not one."

"Did you look twice? You know, mom, you should get your eyes checked."

"Or a leash for my daughter. Gia, I'm not going to get a call from the police, am I?"

"He made Emma cry," Gia smirked and shrugged her shoulders. "C'mon, mom, by now I'm sure you know the drill."

"I don't know whether to ground you, or let this one slide," Mrs. Moran massaged her temples and sighed. "Gia…"

"Mom."

"Did he hurt you?"

"No. I think I made him shit himself, though."

"Did you record it?"

"Tensou is deleting all the security tapes. Sorry."

"Don't let it happen again. Now… go… to your room…"

"You're sure that's what you want to do?"

"Don't argue with me, Gia."

"I'm not, I'm just checking," Gia smirked as she started for the stairs. "You seemed to hesitate a bit."

"Room, now," Mrs. Moran sent her upstairs just as Mrs. Goodall walked back into the room.

"This… it's got to be a joke. Gia and I are getting along but…"

"Doesn't look like a joke to me," Mrs. Moran said. "Maybe you just got so caught up arguing you didn't see him sign."

"But I could have sworn…"

"Don't question it, Claire," Mrs. Moran chuckled. "Why don't we go to city hall and get those papers processed. You're one step closer to starting over with Emma."

"Let's go," Mrs. Goodall nodded her head and then hurried out to her car.


	4. XOXO

Ernie's was a great place for the Rangers to meet up and hang out, but today it was only the girls. They walked down to the ice-cream shop at an early hour intentionally to get some time alone before the boys stopped by. Emma picked out a booth while Gia went to order them both a smoothie. She came back with two in hand and set one down in front of Emma. The pink Ranger started to play around with the straw, swirling it around in her drink. When Gia sat down, she saw Emma looked like she wanted to say something. Under the table, she gently kicked her best friend's leg.

"What's up?"

"Just thinking."

"Did your mom tell you about the papers?"

"Dad did sign them," Emma nodded her head. "Which is really weird, because I don't remember seeing his signature anywhere on those papers when we left prison yesterday."

"Weird," Gia agreed. Emma rolled her eyes and then shot her a look.

"What did you do?"

"Who says I did anything?"

"Gia."

"I got your dad to sign the papers," Gia smiled. "I got to scare him in the process."

"Gia!"

"I didn't do anything illegal… not that anyone knows, at least."

"You're such a pain in the ass sometimes," Emma shook her head but Gia could see there was a smile on her lips. She gently kicked Emma's leg again.

"You're welcome."

"I didn't say thank you."

"Divorce usually sucks, but you and your mom need this to happen. If your dad can't pull his head out of his ass for you, you don't need him. I know it's hard anyways, but…"

"I didn't not say thank you," Emma interrupted Gia with a little smirk. "You have a weird way of getting things done, but you always manage to pull it off. You really convinced my dad to sign the divorce papers?"

"You thought I wouldn't? You know I've got your back, Em. Whether it's bullies, aliens, mutants, or evil parents, no one makes you cry and gets away unscathed."

"So what did you do to him?" Emma asked. "Are there any broken bones?"

"Just the one," Gia pointed to her own cast. "I didn't lay a hand on him, I swear. I knew it wouldn't be smart."

"For once, you decide to be smart," Emma chuckled and shook her head, "And it's probably the one time I would have wanted you to really hurt someone."

"You should have told me that before I snuck away," Gia muttered. "I'd have loved to get my hands on him. Especially when he claimed I was a wannabe bad ass."

"He thought you were a wannabe? Well, I guess his head really is shoved all the way up his ass."

"I made the prison guard tremble," Gia chuckled. "If your dad wasn't scared before he noticed that, then seeing the body guard quake really pushed him over the edge."

Gia continued to smile for a moment longer before she saw Emma take a sip of her smoothie. While the divorce was for the best, and she knew everything would work out for Emma and Mrs. Goodall, it still wasn't an easy time for either of them. Mrs. Goodall had to admit to a lot of mistakes, and was coming face to face with a lot of her behaviour that had caused Emma serious heartache over many years. Emma, meanwhile, had to watch as her family continued to be torn apart. It made Gia very thankful that even in the hardest of times, she always had parents who supported her. She reached out a hand and touched Emma's arm, "You know I'm here for you, right? Nothing you say or feel is ever ridiculous to me."

"Yeah, I know," Emma nodded her head. "I'm just… sorry you had to get caught up in all this."

"Why?"

"Cliff, your dad… you've been through a lot already. It just doesn't seem fair you have to tackle my family problems too."

"Who was there for me during Cliff's… era," Gia asked and Emma pointed to herself. "Right. And who killed my clone to avenge my father's death and protect me?"

Emma pointed to herself again. Gia nodded.

"And covered me when Cliff's mother tried to kill us both?"

"Who came after me foolishly just to keep me safe from his parents?" Emma countered with a playful smirk.

"You scratch my back, I'll scratch yours. It sucks that your parents couldn't get it together sooner, but it doesn't suck that I have to get involved. If there's something I can do to help, I want to do it. You know that if I had to just sit back and watch, I'd drive myself mad, right?"

"Thank you, Gia. Just, thank you."

"Anytime," Gia smiled and nodded her head. She took a sip of her smoothie and then had a quick look around before leaning into Emma. "You know, if things don't work out between you and Jordan, I'd be more than happy to play divorce lawyer again…"

"Shut up," Emma playfully shoved Gia away. "Things between Jordan and I are great. It's you and Jake I worry about."

"Here we go," Gia leaned back into the booth and sipped her smoothie as Emma went on.

"You know I trust Jake, and I think he's a really great guy, but that does scare me a little."

"I know, I know."

"So, if he ever does something to you, or makes you uncomfortable, or you feel weird about something…"

"Come talk to you. You'll help me figure out if it's really something to worry about or just my imagination playing up."

"I've read a lot of articles and stuff about starting a new relationship after getting out of an abusive one and it's not always smooth sailing. You're still recovering, even if you feel better, and you're going to have fears and doubts that seem big to you, but it's nothing. Or you might think something he's doing isn't worth talking about because you don't think it could happen a second time, or you're scared to admit…"

"Jordan! Finally, you're here! Kiss her! Kiss her now!" Gia cried when she saw the boy. She pulled him into the booth so he was beside Emma and pushed them together. "She won't shut up. I get this speech all the time."

"I'm just looking out for her," Emma shrugged. "You know I can't help it."

Jordan rolled his eyes and got up, "Whatever's going on here, I don't want to be a part of it. Ernie, anything new on the menu?"

As Jordan got up, Emma looked to Gia and shook her head, "I'm serious. You can talk to me about anything. I'll listen."

"Can we talk about how annoying you get with these monologues? You know you only have to tell me things once, right?"

Emma crossed her arms over her chest and gave Gia a look. The yellow Ranger sighed.

"I remember every time you've told me I deserve better than Cliff. And I remember every time you told me not to do something stupid. I just don't listen."

"And have a death wish."

"Yeah, that too," Gia chuckled.

"You know, if you ever die, I'm going to kill you, right?"

"So you'll be at the funeral?"

"With a knife so I can stab you."

"Should I put a plus one on your invitation, then?" Gia asked as Jordan came back to the table with his smoothie. He looked to the girls strangely, having only caught the last part of their conversation, but shrugged it off and ignored them.

"Sure, a plus one," Emma nodded her head. "Should I do the same for my funeral?"

"Yeah, but a plus one in the coffin, not the party," Gia chuckled. "If you ever die, I'm going down with you."

"You know that means I would still have to kill you, right?"

"This is morbidly beautiful," Jordan laughed and then sipped his smoothie. The girls looked to him. Gia then turned back to Emma and frowned.

"Wait. If you died, I'd kill myself. But if I died, you'd just kill me and then move on with your life?"

"Yep."

"So, I can't live without you, but you'd be perfectly fine if I died?"

"Not perfectly, but I'd manage."

Gia reached across the table and lightly punched Emma in the arm. The pink Ranger whimpered but looked to Gia with a smirk.

Jordan shook his head, "What'll happen if I die?"

"I'll laugh," Gia said.

"I'd kill you," Emma said. "And then marry Gia."

"Awe!" Gia reached across the table and hugged Emma. It was at that moment the rest of the group arrived. Jordan looked up at Jake with a frown.

"Did you know the girls are practically engaged? If we die, they're going to get married and move on without us."

"Wait, you're cheating on me with Emma?" Jake asked teasingly, knowing it was likely all just a joke.

"Technically, I'm cheating on Emma with you," Gia smirked and pulled away from Emma to lean into her boyfriend.

"Oh, okay, that's cool with me," Jake smirked. Jordan hugged Emma tighter.

"Not cool with me," as he cuddled with his girlfriend, marking his territory so Gia would know to keep her hands off, Emma made a heart with her fingers and smiled at Gia. The yellow Ranger responded by blowing Emma a kiss. The girls laughed when they realized Jordan had seen the exchange.

"You both suck…"


End file.
